At the Sea-Side
by Fruipit
Summary: Thirty-one days of Tokka! Will cover a wide range of themes and genres. Romance and friendship are definitely ahead, but knowing me, there will probably be some angst, too. Rating subject to change. Enjoy!
1. Earthbending

Sokka once thought that, because he couldn't bend, it made him useless.

The thought, though, never occurred to him until he met Aang (not that it was the Avatar's fault anyway). But, being a bender, he could not help teach or train the young saviour. He went from protector and provider, to the guy who trailed behind two master benders.

It only became worse when Toph joined.

Not that he could begrudge the blind girl, either, although her remarks during the crazy, deadly chase from a crazy, deadly _bender_ still stung from time to time. He had been brushed aside, purely because he couldn't bend. It took some time to realise that, like a bully who themselves had been put down, Toph was doing to him what had been done to her. She was brushing him aside for a perceived weakness. One that, yes, he did have, but not one that he would allow to bring him down, to hold him back.

She didn't realise it at the time, but it was why he gave her the piece of meteorite left over from his space sword.

Being given the chance to truly become better; to be able to wield a weapon greater than himself — to be _special_ — it awoke something in him. That wasn't the first time he had thought about who the blind girl was, and why she was that way, however it was the first time he truly _understood_. She was making him better.

Without her constant put downs, and jokes — the flippant remarks and dismissals — he never would have felt the need to prove himself. So, he worked and trained, and came out shining, Toph's bright face waiting for him.

And that was all the little piece of rock was. It was a thank you, and a promise. A promise to never allow himself to believe he was weak, and to never stop trying to be better and greater. She was the girl who invented an entirely new type of bending; what would he do? He looked at her face, smiling gleefully at the strange stone, and he had his answer.

He would create a better world, so no one ever had to feel weak or repressed. So everyone, no matter who they were, could live equally, and so they could live peacefully.

* * *

_A/N: I swear I'll finish that Christmas story one day. But I really don't like Christmas... maybe next year xD Enjoy, thirty-one days of Tokka. There will be a mix of genres, but at the moment, only three others have been written (chapter 2, 20, and 25) so if you had any other ideas for the prompts (which can be seen at Tokka-Fans-United on deviantArt) just lemme know :)_


	2. Music

_The last note of the little flute (piccolo, the name was. Toph had to be sure to remember it, for Mother would be upset if she didn't) petered shrilly into the cool air, and after several seconds of silence as Toph gave a small curtsy, there was a smattering of polite applause._

_"That was wonderful, Sweetie," Poppy Beifong told her young daughter. "Wasn't that just gorgeous, Lao?" The woman turned to her husband, who was wearing a slight frown. He looked down at Toph, before leaning forward and addressing, not his wife nor daughter, but the tutor standing off to the side._

_"She needs to work harder," he said. "I do not like the way she plays that instrument, as though it were a common tool." He turned to his daughter. "Try harder, Toph. Use the senses you _do_ have to make me proud..."_

* * *

"_A long, long, long, long time ago, way back in history-_" Sokka was howling loudly at the top of his lungs, only to be cut off by an equally loud Zuko.

"_When all there was to drink was nothing but cups of tea-_"

Toph groaned, rolling over in her earth tent for the umpteenth time as she attempted to stifle Sokka's drunken singing. Unfortunately, the Fire Lord _had_ joined in that night, and she hadn't been able to escape with Katara and Aang (not that she particularly wanted to be subjected to their oogieness, but if it was a choice, she would go for the lesser of two evils). There were a few unintelligible lines, a thump that resonated all the way through the ground, and a sudden encore by an extremely drunk Water Tribe warrior who had chosen to spend the last of his air on screaming out the end of the chorus.

"_Spirits bless Mi Jiou-san – the man who invented sake!_"

Silence echoed through the campsite, the stark contrast unnerving after the solid hour of drunken singing Toph had been subjected to. She lay back down on the ground, breathing slowly as she attempted to go to sleep. She had just struck the moment between the two states of awareness when there came a rapid thundering across the ground, and a solid thump against the wall of her tent.

"Toph!" Sokka's hysterical cry jolted her, kicked her into full consciousness when she was just about to doze off. Her breath came in deep, surprised gasps, her heart hammering in her chest. It was only drowned out by Sokka rapping on her door again.

"What?!" she hissed as she forced the earth down. He was trembling, and she heard a sniffle.

"Zuko's dead!" he cried, almost sobbing in a pathetic display of drunken confusion. Toph almost laughed; she could feel Zuko, not ten feet away, snoring peacefully.

"No, he isn't. He's just asleep," she said, before adding, "Something I want to be doing." Sokka moved, wiping his nose or eyes on the back of his hand (Toph couldn't tell), before he finally plonked down in the entrance to her tent.

"But that's no fun! We were singing and having... fun!" he waved his arms around, seeming oblivious to the small grazes that appeared as he wiped his hands across the stone. "You're more fun than Prince Lightweight anyway," he muttered darkly. Toph could only groan.

Of course, that wasn't the real issue. She had no idea why Zuko was encouraging this behaviour, but Toph felt that the last thing Sokka needed while nursing a broken heart was to get consistently drunker each night. She was losing her best friend to his constant pitying, and she couldn't even help him because he refused to help himself.

"Sokka-"

"Or F-fan... girl..." he cut her off, stuttering a moment before desolate tears began to roll down his cheeks once again. Sighing sadly, Toph lowered the walls of her small tent and, with the barest hint of hesitation, moved to wrap an arm around his shoulder. Chances were that he wouldn't remember this the next day, and even if he did he would likely be unwilling to bring it up.

"I'm sorry, Sokka," she murmured, truthfully and sincerely. He put his head on her shoulder, nodding jerkily against it.

"I just... miss her..." he said honestly, and in an unprecedented display of soft familiarity, Toph began to rub his back.

She knew what it felt like to have a broken heart, ironically by the very man she was comforting. A teenage girls' fantastic dream. But that was all it was, a dream, and if she recovered, so would he.

Toph thought back to her father, memories she had since forgotten and ignored suddenly springing to mind in an urgent bid to help her friend, if only for the night.

* * *

_The hall echoed with the fading note, and for the first time, Toph smiled. It was not the wide beam she would use later in her life; it was a small, polite smile, as big as she could make it while still conforming to the certain rules of etiquette that had been drilled into her since she was but a babe._

_"You chose that, Tophy?" her mother whispered, voice hushed. Toph nodded, although before she could speak, her tutor stepped forward with a small bow._

_"My Lady," she began, "your daughter _created_ it." Poppy uttered a small gasp, before glancing at Toph. The girl was blushing a faint pink, smiling._

_"How did you do it, Sweetheart?" she was asked, and although Toph wanted to cry out how much more beautiful it was to her, she refrained._

_"I like the way it echoes around," the small girl began to explain. "I can... feel it in the air. It buzzes in my chest and... and I like it," she finished, somewhat lamely. She wished her parents knew just how much she could feel, but alas, it would remain a secret. Poppy nodded, and looked at her husband._

_"Very good, Toph," he began. "You will no longer learn any instruments; your class will be devoted to your voice." Her bright face smiled up at him, although he did not notice it fall a little as he uttered the next words. "You will make your husband very happy one day..."_

* * *

She was roused from her thoughts as Sokka gave a particularly violent cry, shaking against her slim frame. Perhaps her father had been right, but it wasn't her husband. At this stage, shutting Sokka up would make _her_ happy. Taking a breath, she cleared her throat before letting the words flow from her lips to fill the space around their heads.

The song was slow and melodious, and Sokka ceased his tears to listen as she whispered the words into the the air.

"In the North, there's a lady," she murmured quietly, gently stroking his back. "Stunning and singular, one look confounds a city..."

Sokka's breathing was less shakey, a little deeper, a little calmer, and she felt him grow even heavier as his muscles relaxed against her.

"...A second look dooms an empire..."

There was another small sniffle, but it wouldn't take long. The lullaby had been sung to her as a child whenever she was upset; one of the few interactions she and her mother had shared. Now something to share with another who was hurting.

"Rather not wishing to know the ruination that may follow." Her voice was even quieter; not that Sokka could really tell. His heartbeat had slowed, and the alcohol in his system had already paved the way for his body to sleep. Toph had merely calmed him down enough to allow it to happen. It almost seemed wrong to complete the song, especially regarding her former feelings for the young man, however it took only a moment for her to remember that it wasn't really about her, and despite the fact that Sokka was not really listening to the words, concluding the song would be better than just leaving it. In any other instance, it would alert him that something was wrong, or different.

"Rare beauty is here and now..."

* * *

_A/N: Oh, spirits. This is an idea I've wanted to use for soooo long, but it was never really working out. Then I read another amazing story abut how Toph would love singing because of the vibrations that would build in her chest. The two songs aren't mind (unfortunately). The first is a slightly altered version of Charlie Mops, an Irish drinking song, while the second 'lullaby' is the English-language version of _Jia Ren Qu_, also known as the 'Beauty Song'. It really is a gorgeous song._


	3. Heartbeat

Toph had always been of the firm belief that she was the only one who could feel another's heart, and to an extent, she was correct.

Only she could detect the minute changes when someone was lying, the way a steady_d'thump-d'thump_ turned into an erratic _d-thmp'd-th'd-d-thmp'd_ with the introduction of fear and anxiety; she was the only person alive who could feel someone else's heart sing with glee and grief. And love.

However, she was not, as she believed, the only one who could _sense_ another's heart.

Now, she would argue that there was no difference between the two, but she would be wrong. Sensing and feeling where, at least to Sokka, two very different concepts. He was aware of the tension after their trip to the play; the heavy awkwardness in the air that surrounded Aang and Katara and just generally brought everyone's mood down a little. But, he couldn't 'feel' it. The physical reactions as their hearts pumped anxiously, one with hope and the other sadness were lost on Sokka; however, just because he could not feel it the way Toph could, did not mean he didn't know it was there.

It was strange, the two would sometimes think, that she saw so much and so far, yet occasionally even the nonbender could see the bigger picture.

Naturally, the best example was between said couple.

Toph had harboured feelings once for the Water Tribe warrior. They remained in her heart, safely guarded under lock and key, and ignored. She was perfectly content to remain friends with Sokka, and she would never risk losing that bond with him. The older boy, though, held other plans.

While Toph was busy convincing herself that the emotions did not exist (and they most certainly were not _thriving_ with his friendship), she had began to ignore, as most girls do, the fact that such a state would leave outward signs. She believed Sokka to stupid and oblivious to ever notice. But, that was where the difference between 'feel' and 'sense' came in.

Sokka had no way of knowing how her heart skipped a beat when he touched her, or how it ran so fast she wondered when it would just give out. He couldn't tell when it moved to thunder in her ears, or catch in her throat. But, he still knew.

It was in the way she spoke and laughed; in the jubilant grin and the bruise on his shoulder. He knew it was there, while she remained oblivious.

Oh how the tides turned.

Though Sokka, unlike Toph, was more prepared to take a risk. He refused to fail, and it was that refusal that gave him the courage to act on his feelings.

It was with a hop, skip, and a jump that Sokka dragged Toph to the edge of the water, rendering her blind save for what she could feel with her arms, choking Sokka in her sudden fear.

And she could _feel_. Not just sense, as she had assumed that only other people could do, but_feel_ his heart pump gently in his chest. And if she could feel without the earth beneath her, that meant...

_Oh, damn..._

Toph looked to Sokka with wide eyes, feeling his smile on her like a warm sunbeam.

"Just so you know," he whispered in her ear, "it's a mutual thing..."

* * *

_A/N: okay, I know, this isn't my best. I'm sorry D: I am legit writing these at like, 2am (except for number 2, that was done before number 1, and I panicked)._

_Also, 'scuse weird timing. I live in Australia, and if I published these chapters at any time during *my* date, it would actually technically be a day behind. So, sorry :(_


	4. Happiness

For Toph, certain feelings had been denied to her for much of her life. She was not permitted to smile or cry in the presence of company – her parents included – nor was she allowed to ask why. Simply put, it was just another facet of her life that was not under her control, however it was not, as she believed, due to her blindness. Despite barely being a member of the aristocracy (could she be, if no one knew she existed?), she was still made to follow their rules.

So, naturally, she tried to break them every chance she got. Eventually, though, it just became too hard to smile at something that wasn't there, all the while getting in trouble from her parents for daring to let such an expression cross her pretty features.

It wasn't until she was eleven and she discovered the Earth Rumble ring for the first time, that Toph realised why other people were always smiling. It was the freedom.

Unfortunately for Toph, old habits die hard. Of course the easy emotions were, well, easy. But the others? Shame, regret; love? The best she could hope for was to pretend they weren't real, because how could she feel something for someone else that had never been shown to her?

* * *

In the Water Tribe, emotions were encouraged. If you could turn red-hot with fury, then at least you wouldn't freeze, and they certainly didn't play chess to keep warm at night. It was a small community, and Sokka was encouraged to show all the people in his village his emotions – how he felt about his people, specifically – because come winter, they may not pull through it. But, there was always a disadvantage, and being perpetually happy for the elders of the tribe; elders who put no effort into even pretending that they cared anymore, what with the men of the tribe leaving. He became sharp and cynical. Sarcastic even. Because it was better than caring and having his friends taken away through sickness or disease, or age. It was better than crying over his mother, now his father. He had to be strong.

It wasn't his fault that what he thought was a strength, wasn't really a strength at all.

It got better with time; the fear of losing those he loved lessened, until it wasn't there at all. And then, he lost someone else. Someone he couldn't protect. He wasn't even worthy of feeling sad about it, because he had failed so miserably. And if he was not allowed to grieve for the sad times, he most certainly wasn't allowed to smile at the happy memories.

Thus, Sokka learned to school himself. He couldn't let anyone else get into his heart, because he knew he would ultimately fail them. How could he protect anyone else, when he could barely protect himself?

* * *

It was funny (the universe's sense of humour, Sokka suspected), that the rules and beliefs that each had forged were broken. The weakest of all in matters of the soul taught the most guarded that protection was not love.

The boy who could not open his heart, taught the girl who could not love.

And together, they found happiness.

* * *

_A/N: NO. STOP IT FRUI YOU'RE BEING CHEESY AGAIN. _

_I apologise for that, folks. I'm actually trying to use a few other genres (like, say, *not* romance) but I'm doing these really late. It's actually just before 3am (by 2 minutes) on the 5th where I am. _


	5. Old Age

It was to ever to Toph's glee that Sokka was older than she. It came with drawbacks, naturally, such as the height issue, and the fact that he was actually rather good at holding a drink, however she refused to dwell on such matters. She would rather focus on the fact that it meant he was slightly more mature than the boys her age, and how he was _almost_ as sarcastic and witty as she (although not quite being up to her level wasn't surprising, despite the fact that he'd had longer to get better at it. She was an Earth Rumbler).

And it meant that her puppy love crush on him could be brushed off as a sisterly admiration and respect.

Sokka, on the other hand, hated that he was older than Toph. Of course, there were good things, like her having to practically beg him to buy her cactus juice, and the fact that he was taller, but that was pretty much where it stopped. The fact that he had actual responsibilities that came only because he was old enough, or that it was uncouth, for instance, for him to be spending so much time around a younger, unwed rich heir.

It was wrong, therefore, for him to feel something greater than a brotherly love for her.

Both dealt with such issues in their own way. While Toph put every thought and effort in maintaining the fact that she did _not_ have a crush on hime (despite the fact she so obviously did), Sokka tried desperately to break down the age gap that by all accounts should keep them separated.

It was only when Katara, sick of the back and forth between the two that had been going on for _years_, locked them in a dome of ice and demanded that they "pull themselves together" that anything actually happened. The two had a nice conversation about their feelings, let Katara know, and lived happily ever after.

Well, that wasn't what actually happened. The part about her locking them in ice was true, yes, however the two spent a good hour just bickering about how they would get out. Katara would just repair any damages Sokka did to the cage, and unfortunately for Toph, they gaang had been on Ember Island, and Katara had made sure to trap plenty of water in with the grainy sand. Eventually, the duo just gave up and decided to wait until whatever bad mood had possessed Katara to lock them away had passed.

In that time, Sokka couldn't help but notice Toph. He hadn't been able to stop for several years, if he thought about it, but with the crystal light of the midday (good Hei Bai, had they been stuck in there all morning?) cracked across her face, he couldn't deny just how pretty she looked.

So, he didn't.

Scooting closer, Sokka bit his lip as he wondered how Toph would react before shrugging it off. If she didn't, no harm done. He would have to deal, and they would go back to being friends.

Toph, on the other hand, was essentially blind; when Sokka's lips pressed against hers for a fraction of a second before being pulled sharply way, she was slightly surprised, to say the least.

And then she was angry.

Toph had wasted five years convincing herself it was hopeless, all the while falling further and further in love with the older warrior, and then he just kisses her out of nowhere?

There was only one logical move she could make. Toph turned, and lunged.

Now it was Sokka's turn to be surprised as he noticed Toph's rather supple body (oh, and how he noticed) on top of his as she placed urgent, open-mouthed kisses on his throat. Screw pretending – he started this. It was all Sokka could do to return the affections.

His hands were beyond his control as he ran them up and down Toph's smooth skin. He didn't even notice when she ripped off her shirt, leaving her only in her bindings, although he certainly felt it when she removed his, pushing him down onto the wet sand and a predatory grin.

She couldn't stop the groan as he flipped their positions, running his hand over her chest as he crashed their lips together.

It was the perfect opportunity for Katara, who hadn't heard any bickering for some time, to open the side of the dome, cry out as she shielded her eyes. They had waited five years, feelings growing stronger as each day passed; nothing could stop them now, except for an especially irate waterbender.

Not that she was inclined when she saw the gorgeous blush on Toph's face and how she held Sokka's cheeks, him gently nipping at her throat. Neither noticed Katara standing there, and she left long before they ever would.

Not even age-old societal rules could get in the way of love, she would later muse as she watched her friends, happier than either had been in so long. She could overlook it for them.

* * *

_A/N: I'm still here! Sorry, I've had a bit of trouble with both FFN and the prompts. I had no idea what to do with this. I just started writing and let it do its own thing. _


	6. Field Trip

"Come on, Toph. You said you wanted a field trip."

The blind girl in question, who was currently _not_ pouting (no matter how far her bottom lip stuck out), crossed her arms over her chest, resolutely ignoring the glass of champagne offered to her before grabbing it and taking a huge gulp.

"I said I wanted one with _Zuko_," she pointed out, ignoring Sokka's gasp.

"You'd rather Fire Lord _Grumpy_ was here? I'm hurt, Toph. I'm really cut," he whimpered, the only genuine one escaping his throat when she punched him in the chest.

"Shut up."

Sokka obliged, but not without planting a lingering kiss on her lips, and then poking her in the stomach. Toph's sigh of contentment turned into a growl, and she pulled back her fist to try and land another blow, bent on punishing him for his impudence. She almost fell flat on her face as he stepped lightly out of the way and managed to completely avoid her. A few people who were milling about turned to look at the two, but Sokka just waved them off.

"This is stupid, Toph," he reasoned once she had regained her balance (pushing away his helping hand at the same time). "You can't see a thing – you're gonna hurt yourself."

There was another growl, before Toph huffed at him. "It's Katara's fault. Why did she have to get married in _this_ godforsaken place. There are plenty of others that work fine, too, but at least then I would be able to see, and _not_ freeze to death!"

Regarding Toph closely, Sokka noticed for the first time the slight tremble in her frame before his eyes trailed downwards and he realised that she had once again forsaken shoes.

Without giving her any warning, he scooped her up and began marching back towards his tent, stopping just long enough to grab one of the unlit spare candles and a holder for it. The reception could stand to miss him for a few hours, and truth be told, he wasn't sure a completely blind, drunk Toph in the South Pole was a particularly good combination.

He had expected the slight shriek she would emit, however as he walked through the door and out into the cold wind, he was surprised at the lack of pain he was in. When he glanced down at his blind friend, Sokka had his answer.

Toph's eyes were open wide, her head pressed into his chest as she shivered violently. Even Sokka couldn't help the goosebumps that formed beneath his thick anorak; he couldn't possibly imagine how her poor feet must be faring. Sokka quickened his pace, thankful that his own little igloo (created earlier that day as a temporary home during the festivities) wasn't far from the reception. He was glad he had the forethought not too build it too far away, although the reason was that he had hoped to be ridiculously drunk. Watching Toph struggle convinced him to remain sober.

"Come on," he huffed quietly, ducking into the entrance. Even just beyond the arch was significantly warmer, and Toph tumbled from his arms as she scurried even further into the warmth. With a small chuckle, Sokka packed snow into the entrance to keep out the wind, before crawling into the domed centre. Pulling out the candle, Sokka set it down in the middle of the floor, and pulled out a set of spark rocks. They were old, and didn't always start the fire straight away, but they had been a gift from his father. It was ingrained in every Water Tribesman the value of having a fire source. One could die within hours in the cold, and from the chattering he could hear coming from Toph, they both needed to warm up soon.

"W-w-where are y-you?" Toph hissed through her teeth. Her blind hands reached out for him, and Sokka felt his heart swell at how absolutely adorable she was (not that he would ever tell her that).

"I'm right here," he said quietly, moving closer. Toph gave a slight nod as he dragged some blankets with him, wrapping them around her. She sucked in a heave breath, gripping the blankets tightly in an effort to keep the warmth in.

She wasn't succeeding.

"U-ugh, S-Sokka..." she whined. "S-still c-c-cold..."

With a roll of his eyes, Sokka gave Toph yet another excused to punch him as he unwound the blankets from around her, and she did – rather painfully.

"Ow, hey! I'm just trying..." With a single move, he lifted Toph up and placed her on his lap, chest to chest. The blankets were replaced around her, holding them together. Sokka had a feeling she would have complained a lot more had the warmth not already started to seep into her skin. "...to warm you up," he finished with a smile.

Toph frowned, the only expression left to her after a smitten smile or a blush (which was _not_happening). In her futile attempts to cross her arms, she only succeeded in trapping them between their bodies and, too exhausted to try and move them again, she just left it at that. Instead, Toph lay her head on Sokka's shoulder, although it wasn't long before she turned it to start nipping at his throat.

"So, what else can we do to stay warm?" she asked, her voice low and husky. It sent chills down Sokka's spine that he couldn't attribute entirely to the weather. "And don't say you play Pai Sho."

Grinning, he moved his lips down to hers, the hands that were on her back moving torturously slow to grip her thighs.

"Oh," he murmured, "I can think of a few things..."

* * *

_A/N: I totes wanted to write a smut version, but I upload these on Avatar Wiki, too, and they have these things called... policies, I think. Anyway._

_Oh, if anyone could recommend any good wuxia films for me. I already own like, a dozen, but suggestions are good, too :D_


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